School concert commemorates Battle of Hanover

Hope Christian School Performance planned for April 26.

Hope Christian School is gearing up to hold its annual spring concert, and in this historic year the performance celebrates Hanover history.

"The Rebels are Coming, the Rebels are Coming - the Battle of Hanover" will commemorate the Civil War cavalry action that took place in the streets of the borough 150 years ago this summer.

"The premise is based on the fact that few people realize that there was a battle of Hanover, which was a precursor to Gettysburg and impacted the South losing (the Civil War)," said Anita Fordyce, who wrote the play.

To educate those in attendance, a play will be held about the Battle of Hanover.

The storyline is about two boys who go to visit their grandparents who live in Hanover. During their visit they plan to attend a re-enactment at the 150th anniversary celebration at Gettysburg. Before the re-enactment, their grandmother shows them a trunk containing a diary written by her great-grandmother who lived through the Hanover battle. The boys are amazed.

Fordyce said she pulled these facts from various books and information provided by the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce.

"The details are based on actual newspaper and local information which has been preserved," Fordyce said.

Facts like the number of people killed and wounded in the battle, how the town's people cared for the sick and injured and fed the troops will be given with more information about the battle.

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The presentation mixed with music from the era and a PowerPoint presentation featuring Hanover sites and historical photos, will be the highlight of the concert. Children from kindergarten through 12th grade will be involved.

"We felt it was a great way to help the children appreciate their Hanover heritage and also emphasize the importance of the 150th anniversary," Fordyce said, adding that the chamber of commerce is providing its walking-tour brochures to every guest at the concert. This is the school's eighth year of doing a spring program.